MORE ENCOURAGING SIGNS V TIGERS

IT was always going to be a challenging start to the 2024 WAFLW season for South Fremantle but again there was a lot to like in the narrow loss at home to Claremont on Saturday afternoon.

South Fremantle was given the challenge of taking on last year’s Grand Final teams in the opening two rounds of the 2024 season. The Bulldogs put in a spirited showing in Round 1 to only lose to the reigning premiers East Fremantle by three points.

It was then back home to Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Saturday afternoon to play host to Claremont with South Fremantle attempting to beat the Tigers for the first time in the WAFLW competition.

It wasn’t quite to be with Claremont prevailing 5.12 (42) to 4.3 (27) but there was still a lot to be encouraged about from a South Fremantle perspective.

On the back of her standout derby performance to open the season where she won the inaugural Vecchio-Smith Medal, Poppy Stockwell kept her terrific form going for South Fremantle to start 2024.

She kicked three of the team’s four goals on Saturday afternoon from eight kicks, five marks, four tackles and two entries inside the forward 50.

South Fremantle’s other goal for the contest was courtesy of Ariana Hetherington with the reigning fairest and best winner making her first appearance of the season fresh off playing last year in the AFLW with the Fremantle Dockers.

Rising star Renee Morgan continued her tremendous start to the season as well for the Bulldogs finishing with 22 possessions while Hunter Cronin gathered 18 touches, Molly O’Hehir 18, Madizen Wilkins 17, Caitlin Pears 13 and captain Lauren Vecchio 11 to go with seven tackles.

Former Shark Anjelique Raison kicked the first goal of the game for Claremont after just two minutes, but South Fremantle then worked back into the contest beginning with a goal to the in-form Poppy Stockwell.

Scores were all level by quarter-time but it was the Tigers who managed the only seven scoring shots of the second quarter. Only one of those turned into a goal and that saw Claremont go into the half-time break leading by 12 points.

Raison added a second goal for Claremont to open the second half but South Fremantle stayed in touch with Stockwell adding her second. She kicked a third shortly before three quarter-time to bring the Bulldogs back within 12 points.

It was game on when reigning fairest and best winner Ariana Hetherington kicked a goal to start the final term as well for South Fremantle and suddenly the margin was only six points.

However, the Bulldogs didn’t manage to score the rest of the way and a late goal to Claremont from Eva Campo secured the 15-point victory for the Tigers.

The weekend at Fremantle Community Bank Oval began on Friday night with the Rogers Cup match up and that saw Perth defeat South Fremantle 7.8 (50) to 4.5 (29).

Nicole Taylor-Thorpe kicked another two goals for the Bulldogs on the evening with a goal apiece to Shaya Yarran and Ava Cuffe-Hodges.

WAFLW PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 2

SOUTH FREMANTLE                        1.2          1.2          3.3          4.3          (27)

CLAREMONT                                      1.2          2.8          4.9          5.12        (42)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Stockwell 3; Hetherington.

Best: Morgan, O’Hehir, Stockwell, Vecchio, Cronin, Wilkins, Pears.

CLAREMONT – Goals: Raison 2; O’Donnell, Elkington, Campo.

Best: Harken, Campo, O’Donnell, Raison, Arnup, Wright, Nichols.